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30 Responses to “Another Warm and Fuzzy Drug War Moment”
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I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that Canadians can be draconian about this, too. But, really, a severely disabled multiple sclerosis patient with an official Canadian federal government pass to use the stuff: How are they helping that guy by confining him to a bed like that?
It was interesting that the hospital rep wasn’t even able to deny that the wheelchair had been taken away as punishment, rather than for some medical reason. She refused to come out and say that taking his only means of mobility was directly for the medical marijuana use (and the other person implied there was some “danger” associated with his use of the wheelchair). But, it seems like, no matter what the trivial underlying misbehavior they claim, it isn’t the hospital’s place to punish its patients. I guess when someone ends up as a government authority figure, treating peaceful adults like criminals starts to come naturally…
Damn. Both of the women interviewed radiate that “incompetent government worker” vibe so common these days.
I hope they’re both giving off that “I fucked up and lost my job” vibe in the near future.
well… I’m surprised they’re not pushing a dui charge for operating the chair under the influence. I love how the women were happy to put out the positive spin in the video, but as soon as the reporter started asking questions, they ran and hid behind the ‘no comments’.
maybe Dave and the cpd would’ve handled it better…
I’m confused. Is the Brookhaven facility government run or privately owned? He says something about them having “more power than the federal government”, so I gather that the home is not part of the government. I’m not very familiar with BC health care. Aside from the ethical aspect, if the home is private, then it may be (and should be) within their power to deny him the use of pot if it violates their established policy.
The cruelty displayed by morally superior self-righteous people is almost unimaginable. He has to be turned every couple of hours to prevent bedsores and I wonder if that monstrous women is doing that or if bedsores are part of his punishment.
I hope he sues the fuck out of them.
Dave Krueger
I believe that Canadian government medicine is administered at the provincial level.
The Canadians are much less enamored of massively powerful centralized government than people in the US are.
A tip to the involved healthcare workers from ole’ Helmut:
“First do no harm”
At the end of the story the poor dude had threatened to call the police.
God would that have been a mistake.
They can’t let that guy smoke up. He’ll do nothing but lie in bed all day and watch TV.
Dave Krueger: “if the home is private, then it may be (and should be) within their power to deny him the use of pot if it violates their established policy.”
Maybe. But it’s complicated because he has that medical marijuana card. Even if the facility is private, that looks to me like they are denying Mr. Nagy his prescribed medications. I don’t know, perhaps a member of the Canadian bar could help us out on this.
The important thing to do is to remember why marijuana was made illegal in the first place:
I’m sure these good hospital administrators are quite proud of the fact that they are doing their bit to protect civilization from the dangers of racial equality.
What absolutely horrible people. That guy is dying of an awful, degenerative disease and he has been prescribed marijuana as a treatment. I can’t imagine how you justify taking away his medication and PUNISHING him so he’s suffering even more than he already would be. Those people should be ashamed of themselves. Their behavior is reprehensible and inexcusable for someone who is put in charge of caring for others.
A good friend of mine is in the very early stages of MS. I’m hoping that medical science will advance enough that she never suffers the most extreme effects of the disease. But this video is a pretty accurate version of my worst nightmare for her.
Anybody who believes Obamacare will be any better is smoking something a lot stronger than MJ.
I will not be put in a home. I will not die at the direction of an Obamacare thug with a gun. Obamacare thugs will die first.
Dave K-
I disagree with your position if the home is private. IF the mj is prescribed, then it is a medication. I couldn’t deny you of a medicine, let’s say blood pressure medicine, if it is legally prescribed, regardless of the position of the home I run and my policies. The home is not having to administer the medication, nor is it having to provide a suitable place to administer it.
Also, precedence was set when for x amount of time he was not bothered or talked to about it. If it was a true violation of policy and within their legal rights to do so, then he should have been given notice, with the ability to transfer to a new home if possible (Of course, we don’t know most of the details from this small snippet of story)
This guy isn’t trying to light up a Marlboro in his room, which would fall under your argument just fine.
Frank, the black helicopters are coming for you. Seriously…you’d better run.
Don’t forget your tinfoil hat!
So he couldn’t simply switch to another facility?
Not sure how the Canadian system complicates things (my assumption is that you go where the state tells you to thankyouverymuch), but even in the U.S. it isn’t as simple as calling a number to make a reservation.
Whether that home is “private” or not, the care provided is paid for by tax dollars.
Interior Health (google or wiki it) is the publicly funded BC healthcare system. They’re paying the bills.
Dave, even if it IS private, and they DO have the right, doesn’t mean they SHOULD. It’s AWFULLY dickish.
Chuchundra, the idea that any new government control of the health care system will not, ultimately, have its dictates enforced with the full, brutal authority of the state is no less a fantasy than the “black helicopter” strawman you are mocking.
True. I’m in no way condoning what they’re doing. I’m simply saying that a private institution in a free society gets to set it’s own policy, especially when it comes to drugs that are commonly (although wrongly) considered to be dangerous.
There are obviously a lot of considerations that aren’t clear in the story, such as who’s paying the bills, how heavily subsidized the home is, whether Canadian law is being violated, and whether the guy has other choices in terms of care.
In any case, I’m not sure I’d classify this as an example of the drug war because the government is apparently not the the cause of this guy’s misery. This reminds me more of those institutions in the U.S. that refuse to do abortions or dispense birth control pills for religious reasons. Should they have that right or should they have to conform to government rules?
Freedom isn’t just for consumers. It’s also for businesses. And the fact that a policy results in misery for someone, while perhaps despicable, isn’t necessarily inconsistent with libertarian principles.
Dave,
I’d think it is a little trickier than that in this case. Even if the home is private this sounds like a landlord/tenant dispute. If my lease says nothing about ‘no pets’ and I get a dog, then I don’t think I can be evicted. The same thing probably is applicable here. If his lease doesn’t list the legal behaviours they won’t allow then they shouldn’t complain when someone does something.
Sounds to me like the tenant agreement at this particular home wasn’t updated with the times.
If your lease says you CAN have a dog, you can’t be evicted for getting one (although, your lease can be updated when it’s renewed). Your lease doesn’t have to individually list everything for which you can be evicted. Also, you are evicted only if you insist on continuing to do the prohibited activity.
But, supposing you were right and the government decreed that you couldn’t be evicted for getting a dog when your lease does not specifically prohibit it. The fact that the government prohibits landlords from evicting you does not support the case about the pot smoker. All it does is point out a similar case that is likewise debatable.
Some of you seem to think it is better is USA NOW—NOT. Get out and visit some nursing homes.
Helmut, Who pays the hospital? I think he needs to find a better fit home. It’s not about private, public. It’s about abuse of power. He needs to call the cops and file criminal charge.
I work as a personal care attendant and have been directed to report any usage of marijuana by the consumers we serve to the management so that they can “take appropriate action” – and to call 911 immediately if use is suspected. One consumer has MS and uses this substance to seek relief from pain, spasms and anxiety brought on by the stresses of his disease and the semi-regular arguments between his peers that live in the house with him.
I have never reported him and don’t plan on it. Ever. If it helps him relax and gives him some kind of break from this horrible, wasting disease – I’ve got no problem with it.
This video made me so angry. Having worked in this field for over 10 years I can tell you this attitude is about the norm for the administration of homes like these. Sad but true.
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